Azerbaijan and the United States signalled closer economic ties on Monday (9 February) as President Ilham Aliyev hosted a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the country’s investment appeal and growing interest from American companies.
During the meeting, President Aliyev underscored Azerbaijan’s commitment to trust-based partnerships and long-term economic cooperation.
“But I have always said that Azerbaijan will never be an area of confrontation; it will be an area of cooperation,” Aliyev said.
He stressed that the country’s expanding network of strategic partnerships reflects its balanced foreign policy and openness to cooperation with a wide range of international partners.
Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijan’s favourable business environment and its role in Europe’s energy security, noting that the country has attracted around $350 billion in investment over the past two decades.
“In general, the business climate in the country is very positive. We have attracted huge investments,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan has remained consistently open to foreign investment.
He pointed to long-standing production sharing agreements signed three decades ago, noting:
“Not a single word has been changed.”
The president said maintaining trust with investors has been central to Azerbaijan’s economic strategy, warning that “only one wrong step can ruin that trust.”
The Azerbaijani president said relations with Washington are entering “a new, absolutely fantastic era,” expressing enthusiasm about expanding direct engagement between U.S. and Azerbaijani companies.
“We are very enthusiastic and we want to use this great opportunity to establish direct contact between the companies,” Aliyev said.
He noted that the presence of both long-standing partners and new companies in the delegation creates opportunities to deepen existing cooperation and attract fresh investment.
Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said Azerbaijan’s economy is highly attractive to American businesses, citing strong interest across multiple sectors.
Choksy noted that a large group of U.S. companies arrived in Azerbaijan as part of the delegation he led: "Here we have companies representing sectors from energy to telecommunications."
He emphasised that the delegation includes more than 31 companies represented by more than 60 delegates, covering nearly all areas of the economy.
Choksy said deeper engagement between the two countries should be mutual and extend beyond individual visits.
“Engagement should be reciprocal. For example, we would be happy to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the United States and host ministers during their visits to Washington or New York to meet with representatives of American companies".
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